I want to succeed doing what I love. Yet, every time I think about taking that next step, the plunge into my hopeful career, I get cold feet. What if they don't like me? What if my writing sucks? What if someone else can do it waaaay better than me?
This kind of self-destructive thought has got to stop. I need to think, "Why not me?" If I sit here, with all of these ideas that I personally find interesting and amusing, and do not submit them, I am doing myself an incredible disservice. So what if I get rejected? At least I played the game. One (or two, or three, or fifty) rejections doesn't mean anything, except that I need to keep trying and continue learning.
The crazy thing is that I haven't been rejected yet. I have a couple of pieces that I'm waiting to hear back from. What is the deal with my irrational fear of rejection? It's not like magazine editors are going to write back:
Dear Lindsay,
I'm sorry, we cannot use your piece in our magazine. Because you submitted it to us and we aren't using it, we have to hunt you down and kill you. Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Regards,
Editor
Really, the worst they can say is "No thank you" or nothing at all. How does that saying go? "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."
Here's an excellent quote from a blog I read recently, authored by the talented Tim Ferriss:
If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.
(Read the whole blog here)So, before I think about "If at first you don't succeed..." I need to borrow the Little Engine That Could's Mantra, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"
